Death is Not the End
by Sincerely V
Summary: This is a one-shot of how Lexa and Clarke will both be tied to the city of lights. There are some major feels, warning.


Clarke has been running for her life in the alabaster city for a time that she couldn't track. It could have been hours, day, weeks. There was no way of knowing because there was no night or rain or anything that could indicate how much time had passed. All she did know was that the people after her were relentless. She had barely started to understand what the city of lights was when she was thrust through its gates. She knew that it was a place where pain was not supposed to exist, created by people who didn't understand that pain was an integral part of being human. She also knew that it was the place where the consciousness of the previous commanders were stored. Whatever technology had been created made it so their neural networks connected into the city of lights and they could access the physical place through a machine that was housed in Polis. When they died, their entire "being" was dumped into the city of lights like a computer chip.

Clarke wished she could find these people to help her because she knew it wasn't going to be long before one of the men in suits killed her. She didn't know why they were after her or how they even knew she was there but she knew it had to be connected to Titus. He had kidnapped her and forced her into the machine, vaguely explaining how this had to be her fate. She closed her eyes to his face and opened them to a blinding light and a city like she had seen in books on the Ark. It was beautiful with tall buildings towering over patches of grass and quaint benches. Her admiration was quickly turned to fear when a bullet grazed past her and ripped through her shirt. She knew she wasn't actually there but the pain was real and so was the blood. That had been an unknown time ago and now she crouched behind a fountain praying she would have a moment of reprieve. The prayer wasn't answered as three men trounced down the stairs towards her location.

"Please help me." She whispered to ears that weren't there. She took a deep breath and decided that she would face her fate at last. The great Wanheda who could find a way out of any situation was defeated. She raised her hands in the air and peeled out from behind the fountain.

"I surrender." She yelled. They slowly walked towards her, holding their guns ready to fire. The sly smile on the first man made Clarke want to take back her words and fight it out to the death.

"Smart decision. We will make your death short." She closed her eyes, collapsing into a seated position on the stairs. She was ready for her fate as flashes of her life took over her thoughts. Years on the Ark dreaming of something more. All of the struggles they faced when they first reached the ground. Her father. Her mother. Finn. Bellamy. Raven. Octavia. Mount Weather. Lexa. The last one made a tear swell in her eye. The girl who incited so much love, pain, anger, and passion. With all the choices she made in her life, good, bad or otherwise, the one she would regret the most was not forgiving Lexa sooner. Even more so, for never telling her how important her love was to Clarke. She never thought she would heal after all of the loss she had seen but Lexa glued her back together, piece by piece until she started to recognize herself again. Now, she stood in front of death, whole, but knowing she never truly thanked the person who gave her that gift.

"Are you not afraid to die?" An unidentifiable voice asked.

"No…death has been after me for a long time." She slowed her breathing, not knowing which inhalation would be her last, and waited. The click of the gun sounded in her ear like a freight train. She swallowed hard, knowing that the next sound would be the last thing she ever heard. The sound never came. Instead, she felt a rush of wind blast by her and before she could open her eyes, there was a scratching of steel on steel. She adjusted to the light and saw a figure of black dispose of all of her adversaries. The figure turned, bathed in the light of the sun, and breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" She kneeled down to her, scanning her eyes over her.

"Lexa?" The question came out choked. Clarke instinctually reached her hand up to the girls face, cupping her chin. Lexa nuzzled into her hand, closing her eyes to hold back tears. She had found her. She had found her alive.

"You came for me?"

"I promised you I would always protect you." Lexa held on to Clarke's hand that was still cupping her cheek. "I would never betray that promise again."

She helped Clarke up and noticed that the girl was limping.

"Are you hurt?" She put an arm under Clarke's shoulder and tried to hold as much of her weight as possible.

"I'm alive. That's enough for now."

"Then let me take you home." Lexa led the way through an intricate maze of buildings, continuing to fight every person that came in their path, until they arrived at an out of place door. Compared to the chrome and white of the rest of the city, the door was made of wood and had a broken infinity sign etched into its frame. Clarke placed her hand on the door but hesitated when Lexa stepped back away from her.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't come with you, Clarke." Her words were soft but there was an undertone of pain.

"What are you talking about? If I can leave so can you."

"Not anymore." Clarke's body went cold.

"Lexa, what did you do?"

"There is only one way here in Polis and you were connected to it. I couldn't get you out." She stepped further away as Clarke approached. "As a Nightblood, I am connected here through my spirit but it isn't always reliable. I can come in my sleep but only for brief moments of time and without full presence of body. It is only through the machine that we gain sentience or through…" She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"through what?" Her voice was ice.

"death." Clarke's body stopped. Her heart didn't beat. Her eyes didn't blink. Every cell in her body went still to the understanding of Lexa's words.

"No." It wasn't a demand, it was a plea.

"No!" She screamed. Lexa grabbed her shoulders trying to calm her but Clarke beat her fists into her chest. Lexa pulled harder letting Clarke collapse to her.

"I'm sorry." It was the exact same words she had said to Clarke a thousand times but this time it was different. She was sorry that she loved Clarke more than herself, more than her own life.

"I couldn't let you die." Clarke continued sobbed into her chest. "You are the only person who can bring peace to the world. And you have people who love and care about you, waiting for you to return and lead them. My life is not important to the plan at play."

"It is important to me." Lexa pushed Clarke at arm's length, holding on to her shoulders.

"Then honor my life. Go back to our people. Show them a better way. Continue my legacy and let this be the age of peace."

"I don't think I can do this without you." Lexa put a single finger under her chin and tilted it up.

"You will never be without me. I will always be here." She took her finger and placed it gently on Clarke's forehead. "…and I hope I will always be here." She moved her hand to Clarke's heart.

"But I love you." Clarke choked out a final plea, not willing to accept what was happening.

"en ai hod yu in." And I love you. Lexa pulled Clarke to her, strength receding, and held her face to her own. She captured her lips knowing that it would not ease the pain but hoping it would make Clarke understand why she was doing this. They broke and Clarke grasped at her face, trying to memorize every line.

"Thank you." Lexa whispered into their shared space. "For always showing me a better way."

"Don't do this, please."

"Clarke, you said that life was about more than just surviving. You were right. It is about love and peace and a world where children aren't shrouded by death. I can't give my people that but I can give them you. A beacon of hope." She wiped the tears away from Clarke's eyes.

"Alie preached that the City of Light is a place where we can become our fullest and that she had the only key to it. What she didn't realize is the City of Light can be anywhere. We can become what she dreamed about without her because we still have the other key...you."

"I'm no one." She admitted.

"You are the princess that fell from the sky to bring peace to the world. You are special, Clarke. I always knew you were special." Lexa took her hand and led her to the door. As Clarke looked through bleary eyes, figures emerged behind Lexa. Gustus, Anya, Finn, Monroe, Wells, three hundred warriors, the people of TonDC. All of them stood together, at peace.

"May we meet again." Lexa kissed her forehead and opened it.

"mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim." May we meet again. She looked to all of the people there and then landed only on Lexa. Blue eyes did not leave green as the bright world swirled out of focus.


End file.
